Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

On this episode of CPG Week, the team discuss developments in a spicy trademark dispute, water thats Not Beer and the first acquisition for a new PE firm.

Purchasing habits, higher grocery prices and an ever-changing physical and digital retail landscape have had a significant and lasting impact on both CPG companies’ profits and the margins of grocery stores since the start of the pandemic.

Voyage Foods has signed on as an exclusive B2B partner for Cargill with its nut-free spreads and cocoa-free chocolate, staking out a future for the food technology startup as an ingredient supplier.

Big Picture Foods has always had a vision that goes beyond its flagship line of fermented, organic and regeneratively-grown olives, peppers and capers. Now, three years after the company’s launch, that picture is starting to come into view.

Newly launched CPG Private Equity firm Forward Consumer Partners has made its first acquisition, taking a majority stake in Virginia based artisanal cracker maker and baking company Firehook Bakery.

On the heels of significant distribution gains in both the U.S. and Canada, caffeinated chocolate brand AWAKE has closed a CAD$5 million (approximately $3.6 million USD) follow-on funding round from Btomorrow Ventures.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Stuffed Puffs reinvents its flagship milk chocolate-stuffed marshmallows, Whisps launches its “cheesiest cheese snack yet,” and Kettle Brand capitalizes on the rising popularity of Korean cuisine in the U.S with a limited-edition Gochujang flavor.

Mellody is readying to substantially scale up its plant-based honey business through a new retail distribution partnership with KeHE, starting with Town & Country Markets in the Pacific Northwest region.

Venture investment in food and beverage brands is at its highest point in two years, according to the latest Q1 2024 report from research group FABID. But that doesn’t mean the market isn’t still tight, as well.

On the CPG Week podcast, the team discuss food news stories involving trademark infringement, Trader Joe’s innovation and anti-diet dietitians this week. Plus, a BevNET original song to baked beans.

In between the grandiose visions of the A.I. future that have dominated the discourse, and the heaps of investment dollars flooding the sector, these programs are already being integrated into many aspects of life and business.

The Hain Celestial Group has sold cookie brand Thinsters to Icee and Dippin’ Dots owner J&J Snack Foods in an all-cash transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Laird Superfood has moved towards a more positive future after shifting to an asset-light production model, reducing capital burn on marketing, and prioritizing its direct-to-consumer and ecommerce distribution channels.

Why is a performance energy and protein brand expanding into the breakfast set? Ghost Lifestyle co-founder, CEO and self-described “cereal aficionado” Daniel Lourenco said “that’s the easiest question of all.”